


The Triple Threat

by ArtisticVicu



Series: RPApril Extravaganza 2017 [3]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Camping, Gen, Original Character(s), prank payback, scary story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-07
Updated: 2017-04-21
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:06:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,512
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23420662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArtisticVicu/pseuds/ArtisticVicu
Summary: A group of young adults are out camping as a group of friends does. But when the marshmallows aren't where they're supposed to be, things become a bit more dire than they had anticipated.Event Summary:Merge three unrelated themes into a great short story each week over three weeks.
Series: RPApril Extravaganza 2017 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1684717





	1. Part 1

“ **Tales as old as time** , man,” Benny chimed lazily. Everyone gaped at him.  
  
“I’m sorry,” Conner countered, adjusting his glasses, “but I fail to remember ‘ **saving old lady from a roof** ’ as being considered a classic of literature.”  
  
“I thought it was at least creative,” Abby commented. “I never expected that topic to make such a scary story.”  
  
Dennis puffed out his chest. “I’m just talented like that.”  
  
“And arrogant,” Erin chimed, smirking at the glare Dennis shot her. “I’m sorry. Did I hit a nerve?”  
  
Hector held up his hands, stilling the argument coming. “Guys, enough. Don’t have at it next to the camp fire. We all know it turns to fists at some point and I’d rather not have to treat burns.”  
  
“Shoot,” Frankie spoke, gaining the group’s attention. She held up the empty bag of marshmallows. “Benny finished off the bag.”  
  
Benny shrugged when the majority looked his way. “Guilty as charged.”  
  
“We should have more in the cabin,” Conner informed them. “I think the bag is on the counter.”  
  
“ **I left it on the floor** ,” Dennis spoke up. He shrugged when Conner glared at him. “They’re marshmallows and they were in a second bag. Not like they were gonna get dirty or anything.”  
  
Frankie stood up and Grace hurried to her feet. “I’ll go with you, Frankie. I have to get some more water anyways.”  
  
“Bathroom break,” Abby called, getting up herself.  
  
Benny rolled to his feet. “Aw man, I totally agree with that.” He popped his back before looking to the others. “Anyone else?”  
  
Dennis clambered to his feet. “I need more booze so I’ll tag along.”  
  
“Sweet,” Benny chimed. He turned to the remaining few. “We’ll be back, brosefs.”  
  
Benny wandered after Abby as Dennis joined Frankie and Grace in the kitchen. Grace smiled at him before leaving, a full glass of water in hand. Dennis opened the fridge but frowned when he noticed that Frankie was just standing there, frowning. “Frankie?” he asked, watching as she jumped.   
  
She looked to him, bewildered. “Oh! Hey Dennis. Where did you leave the marshmallows again? I can’t seem to find them.”  
  
Dennis sighed and closed the fridge, beerless. He walked over. “On the floor with…”  
  
His words died on his lips as he came to stand beside her finding the spot he had left the bag empty of a bag. What he did see, though, had him grabbing Frankie’s arm and pulling her towards the door.   
  
“Dennis?” she squeaked, her words belaying her sudden worry.   
  
“We need to get the others,” Dennis spoke, his voice grave.   
  
“Why?”  
  
Dennis shook his head. “Later, when we’re all together.”


	2. Part 2

“Pee break’s over, you two,” Dennis snapped out just as Abby and Benny were about to trade places.  
  
Benny groaned. “Aw man. But I was just about to use the loo.”  
  
Abby frowned, though, touching Benny’s arm as Dennis reached out and took her hand. “Dennis, what’s wrong?”  
  
“Later,” he told her, dragging her along. Abby just barely had time to grab Benny. “When we’re all together.”  
  
They passed through the kitchen again and Dennis only seemed to get even more spooked. Hector and Erin got to their feet, concern on their faces while surprise colored the other two.  
  
“Dennis, what-” Hector started but Dennis cut him off, passing Frankie to him.  
  
“Conner, increase the fire size,” Dennis ordered. Conner opened his mouth but Dennis didn’t give him a chance to speak. “Just do it!”   
  
Conner flinched back out of disdain but did as he was told as Dennis sat Abby and Benny down. Dennis glanced back at the house.  
  
“Dennis,” Hector tried again, having sat Frankie down.  
  
Dennis turned his gaze gaze to him. “Do you know any of the lore of the area?  
  
Benny fell off his seat. "What?! When **did you hear about Betty**?!”  
  
All but Dennis looked to Benny. Dennis never removed his gaze from Hector as he repeated, “Do you know any of the lore?”  
  
Hector shook his head, returning his gaze to Dennis. “No. What has this to do-”  
  
“You’ve never heard about Betty?!” Benny cut in, his voice an octave higher than normal.   
  
“Who’s Betty?” Conner asked, clearly not amused by the behavior of the two boys.  
  
“Betty Terrish was the only survivor of a supposedly horrible accident,” Grace put in, gaining a number of gazes. “She was camping near here with her cheerleader team and some of the football team. She came down from the campsite clenching **a giant avocado** to her chest saying it was the only thing that saved her.”  
  
“It was a normally sized avocado,” Dennis corrected, crossing his arms. “The story exaggerates quite a bit with each different telling.”  
  
“But how do you know about Betty Terrish, Dennis?” Grace asked, not at all offended by his words. “You don’t live anywhere near the area.”  
  
Dennis gave a guarded shrug. “My cousin was one of the few cheerleaders unable to go to the main campsite that night. They and a few football players had gone down to the convenient store for whatever reason and had not only been the first ones to receive her, but they were the ones that led the cops to the campsite and saw the aftermath. They had gotten the least corrupted story of the event.”  
  
Silence hung over all of them. Hector broke it first.  
  
“So whatever had attacked your cousin’s team is here?”  
  
Dennis nodded. “The first hint was in the kitchen where the marshmallows were supposed to be.”  
  
Frankie frowned, asking softly, “How was that the first sign. It was only spilt wine.”  
  
Dennis arched an eyebrow. “You want to make a bet on that?” he challenged.  
  
She hesitated.  
  
Benny looked to the sky. “ **Wish upon a star** for safety, man.” A cricket chirped and Benny dropped his chin to see everyone giving him some version of a deadpan look. He blinked at them all. “What?”  
  
“Dude, you have the weirdest sayings,” Dennis replied, his words tense.  
  
“Where do you even get them?” Conner asked.  
  
Hector threw up a hand. “Don’t answer that, Benny. We don’t have time.” He looked to Dennis. “So what exactly are we dealing with?” 


	3. Part 3

Dennis shook his head. “I don’t know. I just-”  
  
There was a snap and all heads whipped around. “ **Check, please!** ” Benny squeaked.  
  
Hector and Dennis stood at the same time. Dennis looked at the others briefly as Hector made the first move towards the sound. Dennis wasn’t far behind him, stopping a number of feet from the edge of the forest as Hector went right up to the tree line.  
  
Nothing happened.  
  
The group relaxed. Hector turned, stating, “See? Nothing to-”  
  
A mass shot out of the trees, wrapped itself around Hector, and yanked him into the trees.  
  
Everyone screamed and Dennis, Conner, Abby, and Erin took off after Hector without even thinking. It takes a moment but the others rush after Hector as well.  
  
The group finds itself in the middle of a clearing, Hector laying on the ground in the middle of the space. Dennis crashes to his knees beside Hector’s prone body and Conner is quick to follow. Abby and Erin greeted the others as they arrived but they kept their gazes on the surrounding trees.  
  
Before anyone could say a word, masses leapt at them from the trees and everyone screamed again.  
  
Laughter shattered the atmosphere.  
  
The only one not laughing was Benny.  
  
“Aw, man,” Dennis said between gasps of breath, looking to the unrobing masses. “You guys get any of our faces on camera?”  
  
“I did!” a girl cheered, holding up a camera.  
  
“I want a copy of the entire thing,” Hector called.   
  
“Even knowing what was going to happen didn’t help,” Frankie spoke, her voice high and soft but flushed almost like she had a **sunburn**. “That was so scary!”  
  
“What. Just happened?” Benny asked, sounding as if he was in shock.  
  
“You just got pranked, son!” some jock shouted from the trees.  
  
Abby patted Benny’s arm, grinning. “Dennis-”  
  
“Hey!” Dennis complained.  
  
“-was sick and tired of your pranks so he figured it was time to return the favor and we all agreed,” Abby continued on as if Dennis hadn’t interrupted. “His cousin was the one that came up with the idea.”  
  
“While my classmate’s deaths were horrible, there wasn’t anything supernatural about it,” said cousin explained. “It got blown out of proportion by the students that heard hearsay and rumors and it all turned into lore.”  
  
“Makes for a great prank setup,” another jock spoke, grinning.  
  
Benny blinked at Dennis. “You were behind this?”  
  
Dennis nodded, helping Hector up. “Yeah.”  
  
“Dude! This was fantastic!” Benny exploded, thrilled. “That was amazing! I thought I was going to pee myself in fright! This is certainly **a day to remember**!”  
  
Everyone laughed and cheered and the massive group made its way back to the camp fire. When they returned, there were a few extra people there. A buffet had been set up and there was a second fire. The entire group settled in to party the rest of the night away. 


End file.
